BRIGHT LITTLE CEBIDAE. 
EXT to.man, in descending the scale of animal life, 
come the Quadrumana, or Four-handed Animals. 
They are represented by the Apes, Baboons, Monkeys and 
Lemurs. Excepting the last, and a few other species, these 
animals are not very pleasing in aspect or habits, some of 
them, the larger apes and baboons, being positively disgust- 
ing. The air of grotesque humanity that characterizes them 
is horribly suggestive of human idiocy, and we approach an 
imprisoned gorilla or baboon with much the same repug- 
nance that we do a debased and brutal maniac. This aver- 
sion seems not to be produced so much by the resemblance 
that the ape bears to man, as by the horror felt lest man 
should degenerate to the condition, character and physiog- 
nomy ofthe ape. But to the naturalist, who sees wonder or 
beauty in all things animate, these creatures are no less pleas- 
ing than others that are not so repugnant. 
Were we to take a survey of the varied forms which the 
Quadrumana of the Old World assume, we would find that 
the forms would show such diversification that there would 
hardly seem scope for further modifications, Yet the pro- 
lific power of nature is so inexhaustible, that the depth of our 
researches would only bring to light objects of such infinite 
variety of form as to overwhelm the mind with surprise and 
admiration, Thus it would be found to be with the Cebide, 
or American Monkeys. While they would be shown to 
possess the chief characteristics of the monkey nature, thus 
establishing their close relationship with the Old World 
monkeys, yet they would be seen to exhibit the strangest 
